War is alway wrong
by Trekkiewhoviansmurf
Summary: A particularly sad story about Proxima 3, the war and death. Completely made up. Some of the facts might be wrong.


Over a half a dozen people were dying in the makeshift hospital and over twenty other people who were expected to get better with time, as long as the base wasn't attacked. A teenaged girl knelt beside one of the patients, checking his temperature. She smiled and moved on. There were only a few proper doctors or nurses so she had volunteered to help. She knew basic first aid and could keep an eye on patients and they needed every hand they could get. She knelt beside a young boy, only about five years old. "How do you feel?" She asked, smiling at him.

"My back hurts and I can't feel my legs. The doctor said that they might not get better."

"Well, I think that they will if you have proper treatment. What's your name?"

"Thomas. What's your name?"

"Aurora. Did you know that your name means twin?" She grinned. "I have a twin brother."

"I don't have any brothers or sisters but mummy is going to have a baby soon." He smiled. "She has a big tummy."

"That's good. I need to have a look at your back so I'm going to turn you over. Is that okay?" He nodded and Aurora turned him carefully. His back was bandaged and there was a little blood leaking through over his spine. She knew that he would almost certainly never walk again. Carefully she changed the bandage and made a note on his chart. She moved on, feeling sorry for the child.

The ground shook and dust fell from the ceiling. Several of the children screamed and Aurora picked up one of the smaller ones and placed him on her hip. Another little girl was nearby and she picked her up too. They were all the children who had wandered into the base without family or whose family had died there. They had nowhere else to go. Aurora knew that the leaders were trying to negotiate for the civilians' safety. She also knew they were unlikely to get it. The little ones didn't know about the dangers other than the loud bangs and the shaking buildings. Most of them hadn't seen the death outside. One of the adults ran in, slowing when he saw the scared little children and the harried older children, trying to look after them. "Can the older children come over here please? Anyone over 14 years old." He called. Aurora put down the two children and went over to him. "They have agreed to let the children and injured out. You need to make sure all the little ones stay together and move anyone who is hurt. We can't help you or they will blow the whole base."

"What will they do with us once we are out?" One of the girls asked.

"We don't know. We think that they'll take you into the custody…well, we aren't sure really. It's hard to tell. They'll probably take you back to earth and you'll be looked after."

"Probably?" One of the boys asked.

"We aren't sure but it's the most likely thing to happen." There were a few moments of silence. "Alright. Do you have any more questions?"

There were no questions so they collected all the little ones into a group and took them to the front of the base where they were met by a number of people on stretchers or crutches. The older children lifted the stretchers and carried them out of the front doors. Aurora helped carry Thomas out of the door. It was obvious that he had been given strong painkillers, not only to stop him being in pain but also to keep him sleepy. There was very little noise as they walked out. Outside there were a large number of people with guns, all aimed at them. They filed out slowly, the younger children looking slightly panicked. The older children whispered calming words to them, knowing they wouldn't be much help. It was getting dark and the main lighting was from lights mounted on the guns being trained on them. A distorted voice came through a megaphone. "Put the stretchers on the ground, then kneel down and put your hands behind your head." It ordered. Slowly they complied, some of the youngest children needing prompting. The soldiers quickly moved between the children. They split them up according to approximate age. A few doctors went to the people who were worst hurt, telling the soldiers which needed treatment first.

Within a few minutes all the children had been separated into groups and the injured were being carried onto transports. Most of the children were silent although a few of the younger ones were crying. Aurora took a deep breath as she watched the children being herded onto transports. She was scared for them. The youngest children were put on transports first. An Earth Force captain stopped them from putting the older children, from about 15, onto the transports. They watched him carefully. "All of you are old enough to understand the consequences of your actions. I want to know if you had any choice about fighting us or not." There was a few moments silence before one of the boys shouted out.

"Yeah, we had a choice and we decided to come here rather than stay out in the open and be bombed for no reason." There were noise of agreement and Aurora groaned inwardly. The captain was trying to get them to react so he would have a reason to shoot them.

"Excellent." Aurora could see the soldiers taking out their PPGs out of their holsters. "Aim." The captain shouted. There were several cries of fear and surprise. "Children, either you can tell ISN that your parents are doing the wrong thing or you can die here." There was almost complete silence. "I need an answer. Anyone who agrees to my terms should come over here. But if you try to double cross us we will kill ten of the younger children."

The decision had suddenly become a lot harder. "Make your decisions now." All the children seemed torn between betraying their families and living or not betraying them and dying.

"What happens if none of us go back to Earth? Some people will talk." Someone else called to him.

"I doubt it. And if they do I'm sure we can make up a story." He said calmly. Aurora whispered to the person nearest to her. There was silence for almost a full minute, except for the traveling whispers, which the soldiers were oblivious to. "What is your decision?" One person led the way, walking towards the captain. Everyone else followed, spreading out slightly. The soldiers quickly converged on the children. That's when the fighting broke out.

None of the children actually had any intent of going with them but if they had tried to run or fight when surrounded they would have been killed instantly. Within moments of being attacked the soldiers fired on them. Some were killed instantly, others injured, but most were unhurt. Aurora was hit in the side and fell, pressing her hands over the wound. After a few moments one of the soldiers pointed his gun at her head. She looked up at the man and saw he was barely older than a boy. For a couple of moments they stared at each other and, just as his finger tightened around the trigger, there was a massive explosion.

The force was enough to knock Aurora unconscious for a few seconds. When she woke she found a large piece of twisted metal pinning her to the ground. Most of the people around her were also hurt or dead. The few children who were unharmed were already getting up and moving among the wreckage. One of them found her and tried to move the lump of metal without success. He stayed with her as she drifted out of consciousness and her heart stopped beating.

Half the children over 15 survived the explosion only to be killed by Earth Force troops a couple of hours later. Later, when the base was taken, all the adults were also slaughtered. Only the youngest children were spared. They were put into transports to Earth and adopted after psi corps had whipped their minds of any memories of their families being killed.


End file.
